Determining what is “best” is difficult in any category, but especially when it comes to food. “Best” is subjective and means different things to different people.

The “best” restaurants are bestowed with Michelin stars or newspaper reviews, the most subjective of opinions. But what they like isn’t sure to be what you like.

There are so many different kinds of food, all drawing on different cultures, practices, traditions, and ideas. Each chef has a unique approach and a blend of techniques. Each tries to elicit a different response from their guests. Innovative and unexpected, familiar and comforting—who’s to say which is best?

Restaurant reviews and ratings often come filtered through personal biases and opinions, which can render them completely useless. That’s where Renzell’s data-driven model—independently verified by KPMG—comes in.

We take a wide range of insights and ratings s and turn them into data: an objective truth. So when we say that these 15 restaurants are serving the best food in New York City today, you know that it means something. So here it is: the list of New York’s restaurants serving the best food. Not our favorite foods, not the most trendy food, not the best Chinese or Italian or French food—the best food. Period.